Paris, Aug 6 (UNI) It was a challenging day for Indian athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics as several competitors faced disappointing results.
The Indian men’s table tennis team, featuring Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai, and Manav Thakkar, was defeated 3-0 by the People’s Republic of China in the round of 16. In the doubles match, Desai and Thakkar were overpowered by the Chinese pair Ma Long and Wang Chuqin, losing in straight games with scores of 11-2, 11-3, 11-7.
Sharath Kamal’s singles match against the Paris 2024 gold medalist Fan Zhendong saw Kamal initially taking an early lead. However, Fan Zhendong recovered to win 9-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5. In the final match, Thakkar faced Wang Chuqin and was defeated 11-9, 11-6, 11-9. The loss marked the end of the Indian men’s table tennis team’s campaign at these Games.
In athletics, Indian sprinter Kiran Pahal finished sixth in heat 1 of the women’s 400m repechage round. Pahal clocked 52.59 seconds, slightly slower than her 52.51-second finish in the first round. Unfortunately, this result did not secure her a place in the semi-finals, as only the top performers from each heat and the two best overall from the repechage advanced.
In the men’s javelin throw, Kishore Jena recorded a best attempt of 80.73 meters in Group A. Despite a strong start, Jena’s subsequent attempts did not improve, and he finished ninth in his group.
To qualify for the final, Jena needed to be among the top 12 overall, including athletes from Group B. Notably, Finland’s Toni Keranen advanced with a personal best throw of 85.27 meters, while Julian Weber (GER), Julius Yego (KEN), and Jakub Vadlejch (CZE) also secured their spots in the final.
As the Paris 2024 Olympics continue, Indian athletes will be looking to bounce back and deliver stronger performances in the coming events.
